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(No Model.)

F. W. COLE. SUGGBSSIVE NON-INTERFERENCE SIGNAL BOX.

Patented Feb. 3,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK XV. COLE, OF NEWVTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MOSES G. CRANE, OF SAME PLACE.

SUCCESSIVE NON-INTERFERENCE SIGNAL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 445,798, dated February 3, 1891.

Application filed May 16, 1890. Serial No. 852,029. (No model.)

. T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. COLE, of Newton, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Successive Non-Interference Signal-Boxes,

of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures 011 the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to improve the construction of non-interference boxes, the essential feature being the production of a successive box.

In accordance with this invention a signaling-train is employed comprising a circuitchanger, herein shown as a Wheel secured to a shaft which is revolved by a motor. The

signaling-train is controlled bya let-off, which is held in position against the tension of an actuating-spring by means of a detent which is controlled by the signaling-lever, or it may be by the signaling-lever itself. Means are provided for holding the said let-off in position to still hold the train after the signalinglever has been operated, such means being controlled by the armature of a non-interference magnet. This holder for the let-01f is herein represented as formed on or connected to the armature-carrying lever and so located 3 with relation to the let-off as to be movable into and out of its path of movement by the movement of the armature. A retarding device is also herein shown, which co-operates with said holder to hold it in position to sup- 3 5 port the let-off a longer time than the longest closure in any signal.

Figure 1 shows in front elevation a signalbox embodying this invention; Figs. 2 and 3, details to be referred to.

The framework of the box A is of any suitable shape and construction to support the operating parts.

The signaling-train herein shown, and to which my invention is applied, consists of a circuit-wheel a, secured to a shaft a, which has co-operating with it a contact pin a and a train of gears for driving it, herein represented as a toothed wheel 2, pinions 3, (see dotted lines,) toothed wheel l, pinion 5, (see dotted lines,) and toothed wheel 6, the latter being arranged on or connected with the winding-arbor. An escape -Wheel 7 is. connected with the train by a pinion 8, which meshes with the toothed Wheel 2. The motor mechanism thus described is normally wound up and the escape-wheel 7 has a pin 9, which is engaged by the arm?) of the bar 2), pivoted to the main frame-work at 19 This bar 12 and its arm 1;, or any equivalent device, constitutes the let-ofi for the motor mechanism or signaling-train and is acted on bya spring Z2 The let-off is held in its elevated position, as shown in Fig. 1, against the tension of its actuating-spring bya movable member or prop c, pivoted at 0', one arm, as 0 of said movable member or prop being arranged to be directly engaged by the operator, or to be, acted upon by an actuating lever or pull or other signaling-lever, and when said prop is moved from beneath the projection b of the let-off the said let-oif will be released, permitting the pin 9 to pass by the arm bin the direction of the arrow 12. lVhen the train is released, the circuit-wheel revolves and transmits the desired signal.

The wheel 4 of the signalingtrain has on it a pin 13, and thelet-off has an inclined portion b which terminates at a recess Z). The wheel at makes one complete revolution for each signal, consisting, as herein shown, of three rounds of the circuit-wheel a, and hence the pin 13 describes a complete circle. With the parts at rest the pin 13 occupies a posi-. tion in the recess 7) at the termination of the inclined portion. After the box has been started and as the wheel 4 resumes its normal position the pin 13 will strike the under side of the inclined portion b and will raise thelet-off against the tension of its actuatingspring continuously until the pin passes by the said inclined portion and enters the recess W, at which time the let-01f will, as herein represented, fall a short distance. This. pin 13 is the restoring-pin for the let-oif. As the let-off is restored to its normal position and is lifted sufficiently high, the prop 0 will resume its normal position beneath the arm or projection 6 The non-interference magnet 71 is provided, the armature n of which is secured toabent I00 or curved armature carrying lever to, pivoted at to, said bent orcurved lever being formed to present a holder or obstruction 10 which may be moved into the path of movement of 5 the let-oft to hold or obstruct it. \Vhen the holder is moved into the path of movement of the let-off and thelatter is held up by the prop c, said holderlies a short distance below the let-off, so that if the let-cit is released by to removing the prop c at such time it will drop a short distance onto the holder, by which it ill be caught and held. Such movement of the let-off is, however, not sufficient to release the pin 9. and thereby the train, but is sutficient to prevent the prop c resuming its normal position, it striking the projection 19 as shown in Fig. 2. \Vith the parts in this position, the let-off being held by theholder, the signaling-train is entirely under the con- 20 trol of the non-interference magnet.

A retarding device is provided, herein shown as a pawl e, pivoted to a pawl-carrier e, loosely mounted on a shaft 6 said pawl being turned on its pivot into and out of engagement with a ratchet-wheel e by the arm attire-carrying lever. The ratchet-wheel e is fixed to the shaft 6 and the escape-wheel e is also fixed to said shaft, with which a suitable pallet e co-operates. The retarding device is timed to consume a longer time in operating than the longest closure in any signal. When a signalis being transmitted from another box, on opening the door in the homebox, or box from which it is desired to send a 3 5 signal, and operating the signaling-lever the armature will be found retracted and the holder 10 will be in position to catch and hold the let-off as it is released, so as to hold the train in suspension. As soon as the circuit 4 has been closed a longer time than the longest closure in any signal the retarding device permits the holder to release the let-off and thereby the signaling-train.

The retarding devices of the several boxes in circuit will be differently timed. Hence it will be understood that it several boxes are operated at or about the same time the first one which opens the circuit will obtain the line and the rest will be heldby the holders 5o 10 and as soon as the first box has ceased to operate a longer time than the longest closure in any signal one of the holders 10 having the shortest-timed retarding device, will release its train, opening the circuit, and will thereby obtain the line, and so on with the other boxes.

I do not desire to limit my invention to its employment in connection with any particular form or construction of signalingtrain ()0 nor to any particular form or construction of retarding device, although the particular form herein shown is of material value, as it is susceptible of considerable movement or play and yet offers but little resistance.

I claim 1. In a signal-box, a signal-t ansmitter and motor for driving it and a let-oft for said motor and means for moving it, combined with a non-ii'iterference magnet, its armature movable quickly in one direction and slowly in the opposite direction, and a holder for the let-off controlled by said armature, substan tially as described. 7

2. In a signal-box, a circuitcontroller and motor for driving it, and alet-ot'f for said mo tor and detent for said let oit, and an actuator for said detent, combined with a non-interference magnet, its armature, and a holder moved by the armature for said let-off, and a retarding device for the armature, substantially as described.

I11 a signal-box, a circuit-changer and motor for driving it, one of the members of which has a projection, a let-off for said motor and means for holding it in engagement with said projection, and means, substantially as described, for restoring said let-off after it has been released, combined with a non-interference magnet, its armature, and a holder controlled by the armature for said let-ofit',

and a retarding device, substantially as described.

at. In a non-interference signal-box, a noninterference magnet and its armature, and a retarding device consisting of a loose pawl carrier and pivoted pawl thereon, a ratchetwheel and escapement, and an arm or bar 10, connected with the said pawl and moved by said armature, substantially as described.

5. In a non-interference signal-box, a noninterference magnet, its armature, and a retard ing device therefor, consisting of a ratchetwheel, pawl-carrier, and pawl pivoted thereon, an arm controlled by the armature and positively moving the pawl in both directions, and an escape-wheel and pallet, substantially as described.

6. In a signal-box, a signaling mechanism and a let-oft for it, combined with a movable member for normally holding the said let-off in position to lock the signaling mechanism, a non-interference electro-magnet, its armature, a retarding device, a holder controlled by the armature and acted 011 by the retarding device for holding the let-off in position to still look the signaling mechanism after it has been released by said member, and independent means for restoring said let-off to its normal position, substantially as described.

7. In a signal-box, a signaling mechanism and a let-off for it, and a non-interference electro-magnet included in the signaling-circuit, combined with a holder controlled by the armature of said electro-magnet and cooperating with said let-off to catch and hold it after it has been moved to release the train, thereby holding the train in suspension until the line is clear, substantially as described.

8. In a signal-box, a signaling mechanism, a let-oft therefor, a non-interference electromagnet, its armature, and a retarding device, combined with a holder controlled by the armature of said electro-magnet and acted on by the retarding device and co-operating with said let-olf to prevent its movement when the signaling-circuit is deranged, and means, substantially as described, for restoring said let-01f to its normal position after a signal has been transmitted, substantially as described.

9. In a signal-boX, a signaling mechanism, a let-off, and a spring for moving it to release the signaling mechanism, combined with a movable member for normally holding said let-off in position against the tension of its actuating-spring to lock the signaling mechanism, a pin 011 one of the wheels of the train for moving said let-off into its locking position against the tension of its actuatingspring, and a spring acting on the movable member to throw it into position to support the said let-off when the latter is restored by its restoring-pin, substantially as described.

10. In a signal-box, a signaling-train, a letoil therefor, a spring-actuated movable member for holding said let-01f in position to lock the signaling-train, a pull for moving said member against the tension of its actuatingspring to release the let-off, and a pin carried by one of the wheels of the train for moving said let-off into its normal position to lock the train, the actuating-spring of the movable member moving said member into its normal position to support the let-off when the latter has been restored by its restoringpin, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK V. COLE.

Vitnesses: BERNIOE J. NoYEs, ANNIE S. WIEGAND. 

